The Hot Yam! is the University of Toronto's all-volunteer lunch party! Once a week we cook up a delicious, mostly local, mostly organic and entirely
vegan lunch all for a measly $4. We serve lunches from 12-2pm, every Thursday at the International Student Centre (33 St. George St). To find out more about
what we do, join our mailing list, or to volunteer (yes please!), come visit us or send love notes to hottestyam@gmail.com.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

I finally got the urge to blog again and there's a whole bunch of recipes that've piled up over the past month. I've got FOUR whole meals to remind you of.So let's get started. Right after I update you on our schedule.

We just have one more meal of the semester. It's this coming Thursday (April 1st). But we've set the date for the start of the SUMMER YAM!, which is Thursday, May 13th. Wasn't that little glimpse of summer we got great? (See below!)

Doesn't volunteering look like so much fun? The summer is a great time to start! Send us an email and we'll get you set up.

Here goes!

March 4, 2010

Lydia and Lei brought you an APPLE-LICIOUS meal!

GRILLED TOFU WITH APPLE SAUCE, ROSEMARY & THYME MARINADEfeeds 5-10

1 package of 420g firm or extra firm tofu

¼ cup applesauce

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp thyme

½ tsp rosemary

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Cut each block of tofu into 20 evenly sized square slices.

Whisk together marinade (rest of ingredients) into a large bowl or container.

Evenly coat tofu slices in marinade and refrigerate until ready to use.

Brush grill with olive oil.

Grill tofu on medium heat until both sides are golden making sure to flip tofu halfway during grilling process.

Serve with apple roasted potatoes (follows).

APPLE ROASTED POTATOES WITH BASIL5 servings

1 large sweet potato, peeled

2-3 assorted seasonal potatoes

1 large golden delicious apple cubed

olive oil

dried basil

salt

assorted apple cores

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Peel and chop sweet potatoes.

Wash, scrub and peel other potatoes.

Place all potatoes into a large bowl.

Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle basil and salt on top of potatoes and toss.

Place potatoes onto greased baking sheet (use olive oil to `grease`).

Core and cube apples.

Place apples, cores and additional cores that have been reserved onto baking sheet with potatoes.

Bake in oven for 20 min. or until done.

Remove apple cores and discard.

Serve with grilled tofu (above).

APPLE & PARSNIP SOUP6-8 servings

3 golden delicious (or granny smith) apples

1 ¼ lb parsnips

1 tbsp olive oil enough to fry shallots in

5 large shallots (sliced)

1 ¼ tsp ground coriander

5 cups veggie broth

Peel and core apples. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat.

Add shallots and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add parsnips and sauté for 3 more minutes.

Add apples and coriander and stir for 1 minute.

Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.

If the soup is too thick, add more broth and return to a simmer.

Allow the soup to cool slightly; purée until smooth, either by working in batches in blender or using a hand blender, thinning with more broth by half-cupfuls as desired

return soup to pot and bring to simmer; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Optional: Sprinkle diced apples on top.

Serve.

BEET & APPLE SALAD4 servings

4 beets

4 golden delicious apples

¼ cup sunflower oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

salt

black pepper

Cook beets, let cool, remove skin, let cool completely. Refrigerate.

Core and dice apples.

Dice beets.

Place beets and apples into a large bowl.

Combine sunflower oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper by whisking together to create a dressing.

Sift together the flours in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the margarine into the flours, forming a crumbly mixture. Add the salt and baking soda.

Make a well in the center and gradually add the soy milk mixture, mixing constantly. Add only enough to make the dough soft but still manageable.

Knead inside the bowl for 30 seconds.

Remove to a lightly floured baking sheet and use the palm of your hand to flatten into a 1 1/2–inch-thick disk. Use a knife to score a cross in the center.

Bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 15 minutes. If the crust is too hard, cover it in a damp tea cloth. Let cool.

CABBAGE SALAD

1 savoy cabbage

about 1 cup roasted unsalted cashews for garnish

5 tart apples

2 cups pea shoots

½ cup canola oil

1 orange

¼ cup maple syrup

1/3 cup mustard

¼ cup cider vinegar

Thinly slice cabbage and apples.

Toss with dressing, cashews, and pea shoots.

STOUT CUPCAKES

3/4 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup stout beer (note that Guinness isn't vegan, check this out for more info)

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the soy milk and the vinegar. Add the beer, sugar, oil, and vanilla to the soy milk mixture and beat until foamy. Add the dry ingredients in two batches and beat until well incorporated.

Fill your cupcakes containers of choice 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack and allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

COFFEE ICINGSorry, this one isn't scaled down. I wouldn't recommend making this volume...

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the clour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the finely ground flax seeds with the water. Let stand for 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add the melted soy margarine, brown sugar, and vinegar, and whisk until well combined. Add the wet ingredients and the apple pieces and grated apple to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean, about 35 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 20 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

And that's it! Thanks to Jono for all those lovely photos, except the shopping pic, for which we have Tia to thank.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The past few weeks of recipes will come eventually. Send hottestyam an email if you're looking for a specific one. They're all floating around somewhere, waiting for a loving yammer to put them into order...

Friday, March 12, 2010

Some of you may not know this, but the Yam! has a not-so-secret admirer who writes to us weekly. I haven't asked if he's okay with us sharing his identity, but here's an excerpt from this week's wonderful email (read it to the tune of Hey Jude):

Hot Yam, don't make it bad.Take some green things and make a salad.Remember those nuts stay out of that batch!Then you can serve everyone salad.

Hot Yam, don't be afraid.Once a bake sale, but now much better.Go out and peel some potato skin,Then you can serve everyone salad.

And anytime the lines get long, Hot Yam, refrain,From prepping your meals a little earlier.For well you know that it's a fool who eats cold stewBecause that will only make him surlier.

(Mostly local, fully vegan)

Hot Yam, don't let me down.When exams come, why can't I see you?Remember those nuts stay out of that batch!Then you can serve everyone salad.

So let it out and let us in. Hot Yam, beginTo think up new ways to brighten summer.Oh, and don't you know I've eyes for you, Hot Yam? You do.Hot chickpea is nothing next to you.

(Mostly local, fully vegan)

Hot Yam, don't make it bad.Take some green things and make a salad.Remember that nuts stay out of that batch!Then you can serve everyone salad salad salad salad salad salad salaaaaaaad!

Friday, March 5, 2010

We survived the two-day-a-week trial run, and it was awesome! We are hoping to expand in September, but one crucial part of this is volunteers. Please send email to hottestyam[AT]gmail[DOT]com to find out more about volunteering.

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until golden. Add the garlic and continue to sauté slowly until the onions are lightly and evenly browned, stirring frequently, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pour the water over the onions and give them a good stir. Then add the broth, wine, and mustard. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1-inch-thick slices, allowing 1 or 2 slices per serving depending on the size of your soup bowls. Bake for 15 minutes, or until dry and crisp, turning the slices over once about halfway through the baking time.

To assemble the soup, place one layer of bread (1 or 2 slices) in each ovenproof bowl and ladle a serving of soup over it. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the grated cheese over each. Place the bowls on 1 or 2 sturdy baking sheets to make them easier to handle. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve at once.

QUINOA LENTIL SALAD6 servings

1 cup dried green lentils

1 bay leaf

1 cup quinoa

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp salt

¾ cup of raisins or cranberries

¾ cup of walnuts

2 green onions

¼ cup of fresh parsley

4 Tbs of lemon juice

1 Tbs of agave

1 Tbs rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

¼ tsp salt

3 Tbs olive oil

pinch of pepper

Add 1 Cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water, 1 tsp of turmeric, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp salt. Allow to reach a boil then quickly switch to simmer, cover and let cook for approx 12 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it tends to burn on the bottom soon after the water is absorbed.

At the same time, add 1 cup of lentils to 3 cups of water (check the instructions on the package...different lentils call for different proportions). Add a bay leaf and allow to cook thoroughly. Lentils will take quite a bit longer than the quinoa.

Once both grains are cooked, let them cool and then mix together.

In a separate bowl mix together the dressing (the lemon juice, agave, vinegar, salt, oil and pepper).